Death Summary: David “Dave” Thomas died after a decade long battle with liver cancer. He is interred at Union Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio.

At the time of his passing Wendy’s had more than 6,000 restaurants open in just North America.

Who was Dave Thomas: Thomas is best known for founding the fast food chain Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers.

Thomas never graduated from high school, he dropped out when he was only 15 so he could focus on his job as busboy at the Hobby House restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It’s at that same restaurant he would meet his future wife.

Around the time of Korean War Thomas volunteered for the U.S. Army, rather waiting for his inevitably draft into service… and so he could choose his own assignment. Having some experience in the food industry he chose the Cook’s and Baker’s School at Fort Benning, Georgia. After his completion of his training he was sent over seas.

He credits his time in the U.S. Army for his later success in the fast food industry, as he was a mess sergeant. His daily role was feeding over 2,000 hungry soldiers.

After his honorably discharge in 1953, Thomas was offered the chance to work hand-and-hand with restaurant icon Col. Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame. After some initial assessments Thomas believed the men was a bit bulky, coming in at over 100 items. The two proceeded to prune the menu down to what we know today.

He didn’t hang around KFC much longer; he had aspirations of his own burger joint.

Thomas decided to open a restaurant in the Columbus, Ohio area after he couldn’t find a decent burger place around. He went on to name the place after his two-year-old daughter Melinda Lou (whose nickname was Wendy).

Wendy’s went on to become a huge success, and saw Thomas resign from his day-to-day job with Wendy’s leaving it in the hands of his employee’s.

By 1989 Thomas had to intervene as numerous problems began to arise and sales began to plummet. Thomas would visit Wendy’s all over the country and bring his hard work ethic with him.

Around this same time he began his commercial career with Wendy’s, essentially becoming the face of the franchise. Thomas went on to appear in more than 800 commercials… more than anyone in television history.

Categories: Actors, Business, Military.